Near Beer, the new band formed by Joey Siara (lead singer and songwriter for The Henry Clay People), has released “Dead Drummers” the new single from their upcoming self-titled debut album. The band says:
“The song was recorded soon after a friend’s memorial service as a tribute to him and a few other good friends we lost during the pandemic. We wanted to capture the reckless spirit of buddies who find a surrogate family in the music scene. The song ends up being a snapshot of the mixed bag of emotions that go into grief—anger, longing, but ultimately the hope that being in a silly rock band can actually provide some kind of healthy cathartic release.”
Building on sounds explored throughout The Henry Clay People oeuvre, “Dead Drummers” demonstrates Near Beer’s hook-filled and raucously guitar-driven approach. Siara’s vocal is unmistakable—strained, urgent, slightly sneery. Both a bittersweet elegy to dead bandmates and friends and a riff-y tribute to the redemptive power of music, “Dead Drummers” is a perfect summer track.
Listen to the track below, which Beats Per Minute is pleased to premiere, or find it on various streaming platforms.
Near Beer’s self-titled debut album will be released on July 15 via Double Helix Records (pre-order the physical). You can find the band on Bandcamp, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
